Use a large crock pot. Soak the black-eyed peas overnight in a bunch of water and drain well in the morning and rinse. Put the black-eyed peas directly into your crock pot. If you don’t have time to soak the black-eyed peas overnight, put them in a pot with a bunch of water and boil rapidly on the stove for 10 minutes. Then turn the heat off, and cover the pot. Let it sit for one hour, then drain and rinse and put into the crock pot.

Using a frying pan, cook the bacon until it is almost done. Then add the onion and garlic, and cook all until onions are done. Dump everything from the frying pan (including whatever bacon grease there is!) into the crock pot. Add the four cups of water, stir in the rice and seasonings. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 12 hours, or until the beans are soft. Check a few times while cooking to make sure you have enough liquid in the pot – add a little more if necessary to keep the mixture moist. In the end it shouldn’t be soupy, but should be moist. Stir well before serving.